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1999 in LGBT rights
Events February *February 28 - UK The Queer Youth Alliance was founded, the first such 'youth-led' gay rights organisation. March *March 29 - New Zealand - Immigration law changes, made by Minister of Immigration Tuariki Delamere and approved by cabinet on 22 December 1998, allow gay and lesbian couples the same rights as straight de facto couples applying for permanent residency under the relationship category. Prior to the change, gay and lesbian couples spent twice as long waiting for residency than straight couples. Scott Fack and Noel Turner were the "poster boys" for this change through the gay media, including Express Newspaper and Queer Nation TV show. June *June 11 - American president Bill Clinton proclaims June as "Gay and Lesbian Pride Month" in the United States. October *October 2 - California Gov. Gray Davis signs three gay rights bills into law. The first outlawed harassment of homosexual students and teachers in the state's public schools. The second created a new state-wide domestic partnership registry. The third outlawed job and housing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. *October 6 - Donna Brazile, a lesbian, was named as presidential campaign manager for Al Gore's 2000 bid to be President of the United States. *October 10 - Harvard University study show scientific support for "gaydar", saying gay men and lesbians are better than heterosexuals at picking out homosexual individuals from random population samples. *October 10 - Pat Buckley, Ireland Catholic bishop in Belfast comes out as a gay man. *October 11 - Jerry Falwell holds a rally in San Francisco, California calling for gay men and lesbians to "leave the homosexual lifestyle." *October 11 - Turner Broadcasting's World Championship Wrestling says it will discontinue use of its "Lenny and Lodi" duo after protests from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) claiming that during televised events, with Lenny and Lodi, officials encouraged the audience to chant the anti-gay slur "fag." *October 13 - Same-sex marriage: In France, the National Assembly grants unwed opposite- and same-sex couples the same rights as the married. *October 15 - Washington Times reports claims George W. Bush ensured conservative supporters that he would not "knowingly" appoint any homosexuals as embassadors or department heads in his administration if elected president. *October 22 - Boeing begins offering domestic partner health benefits. *October 22 - Same-sex marriage in the United States: William Levada, archbishop of San Francisco, California donates $30,000 to promote a state initiative to ban same-sex marriage. *October 27 - Government of Ontario changes 67 laws to give same-sex couple the same rights as married couples. November *November 1 - Nancy Katz becomes the first openly-lesbian Illinois judge. *November 3 - Aaron McKinney found guilty of murdering Matthew Shepard. He is sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison. December *December 7 - Orange County, California school board vote unanimously to reject the formation of a gay-straight alliance at El Modena High School. *December 20 - Same-sex marriage in the United States: Vermont Supreme Court orders the state legislature to devise a law that would give same-sex couples identical rights as married couples. Births Deaths *November 21 - Quentin Crisp, 90, British expatriot writer External links * Web site for Advocate news magazine * 365gay.com * Google search for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender news Category:Years in LGBT rights